Who We Serve

Real stories from those who have walked this path before.

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A young male hiker with a large backpack, wearing a green shirt and a cap, standing near a lake in a forested area with trees and rocks, holding trekking poles, smiling at the camera.

At Back to Earth, we believe in the transformative power of connecting deeply with the earth. Our primary teaching tool is nature itself—the landscape, the seasons, and the elements. By immersing ourselves in the natural world, we rediscover the wisdom and balance inherent in life, fostering a lifelong commitment to environmental stewardship and community well-being.

We take care of what we love, and we love what we know. A central element of Back to Earth’s approach is cultivating a close, personal relationship with the natural world. This connection nourishes us as humans and inspires us to treat the world around us with love, gratitude, and respect.

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What They Report

Pre Trip

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  • “I was completely lost and had no motivation in my life. I was always getting into trouble and had no hope for my future.”

  • I was completely lost and had no motivation in my life. I was always getting into trouble and had no hope for my future.

  • I was completely lost and had no motivation in my life. I was always getting into trouble and had no hope for my future.

  • I was completely lost and had no motivation in my life. I was always getting into trouble and had no hope for my future.

What They Report

Post Trip

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  • “It was such an incredible experience. It changed my life forever. I feel more full of hope and excitement for my future.”

  • I was completely lost and had no motivation in my life. I was always getting into trouble and had no hope for my future.

  • I was completely lost and had no motivation in my life. I was always getting into trouble and had no hope for my future.

  • I was completely lost and had no motivation in my life. I was always getting into trouble and had no hope for my future.

Participant Stories

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  • Mark Sanchez

    It was an incredible life changing journey where I learned so much about myself and what makes me who I am.

    Read More
  • A man with a beard wearing a wide gray hat and a beaded necklace is holding and examining a bundle of smoldering plant material, with smoke rising from it. In the background, a man with glasses and curly hair is playing a guitar, and another man is holding a dog.

    Jesse Sachs

    It was an incredible life changing journey where I learned so much about myself and what makes me who I am.

    Read More
  • Man smiling and taking a selfie with rocks in the background

    Eli Marienthal

    It was an incredible life changing journey where I learned so much about myself and what makes me who I am.

    Read More

  • Cyrus Mayer

    It was an incredible life changing journey where I learned so much about myself and what makes me who I am.

    Read More
  • A man outdoors smiling with sunglasses on his head, wearing earrings and a chain necklace, with a tree and power poles in the background.

    Choclo Clayton

    It was an incredible life changing journey where I learned so much about myself and what makes me who I am.

    Read More
  • Close-up of a young man with styled brown hair, light eyes, and a beard, smiling outdoors with blurred green foliage and pink flowers in the background.

    Eli Klarman

    It was an incredible life changing journey where I learned so much about myself and what makes me who I am.

    Read More
  • A young man with curly hair and glasses smiling outdoors by a lake with trees in the background on a cloudy day.

    Ezri Mayeri

    It was an incredible life changing journey where I learned so much about myself and what makes me who I am.

    Read More
  • A man with a beard and a gray hat with a red band is holding a bundle of burning herbs or incense, producing smoke, in an outdoor setting. Two other men are visible in the background, one playing a guitar.

    Jerry Manning

    It was an incredible life changing journey where I learned so much about myself and what makes me who I am.

    Read More

Mentor Spotlights

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Our guides are skilled in the ways of nature and human transformation. Meet the mentors who walk alongside our participants, carrying wisdom from their own journeys.

Participants Who Become Guides

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The W.I.L.D. Scholarship Fund supports Back to Earth's commitment to make our offerings available to any young person who feels called, regardless of their family’s financial circumstances. To learn more about applying for WSF scholarship support click here .

“Since our founding in 2014, Back to Earth has done everything possible to make sure that every teen who feels called is able to participate in a W.I.L.D. program. The good news is that the demand for this work is growing, and so the need for this funding is growing as well. In 2023, we granted around $40,000 in tuition assistance, and in 2024 that grew to roughly $52,000. We expect this year it will keep growing.

If you are able to support our commitment - to make sure no teen is turned away for lack of funds - please do so by donating to the W.I.L.D. Scholarship Fund. The money we raise allows us to offer direct tuition assistance and outreach to young people who have been historically underrepresented in wilderness programs and expeditionary learning. No amount is too small.

Wild Scholars

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  • Mark Sanchez

    It was an incredible life changing journey where I learned so much about myself and what makes me who I am.

    Read More
  • Man with a beard and a large gray hat with a red band, wearing a beige shirt with a beaded necklace, holding a bundle of burning herbs or feathers with smoke rising from it, surrounded by other people outdoors.

    Jesse Sachs

    It was an incredible life changing journey where I learned so much about myself and what makes me who I am.

    Read More
  • Man smiling and looking away while holding a drink in an outdoor setting with rocks in the background

    Eli Marienthal

    It was an incredible life changing journey where I learned so much about myself and what makes me who I am.

    Read More

  • Cyrus Mayer

    It was an incredible life changing journey where I learned so much about myself and what makes me who I am.

    Read More

Keep Exploring

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Field Notes:
What we’re reading and writing

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Our version of a blog - original thoughts and reposted content, on reconnecting to what is sacred and wild in ourselves and our world.

Explore More
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Expanding equity & access in wilderness education

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The WILD Scholars Program is a wraparound mentoring and scholarship program for Bay Area high school students from communities who have been historically underrepresented in wilderness education.

Learn More
Two men taking a selfie outdoors; one has a beard and is smiling, the other has facial hair, is winking, and has sunglasses on his head. Both wear sleeveless black shirts and necklaces, with trees and a clear blue sky in the background.
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Meet the Back to Earth guide and mentor community

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We are mentors, climbers, builders, farmers, writers, poets, singers, medics, leaders, teachers, healers, learners, lovers of earth and sky …

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